Magazine-gun



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(No Model.)

No. 433,420.. Patented July 29, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 S he'ets-Sheet 2. H. A. PITCHBR.

MAGAZINE GUN.

Patented July 29, 1890 R Y vb E t 2, 0 1) '0 J6 v 76; Z 3? will Iii 4 2%: E w M :7 .7 7 'v W :W LN! ,lll Y m m NEE??? x s w m m m hu MSG (NoModL) 3 Sheets-Sheet; 3. H. A. PITCHER.

MAGAZINE GUN.

No. 433,420. Patented July 29, "1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. PITGHER, OF NEILLSVILLE, WISCONSIN.

MAGAZIYN E-G u N.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,420, dated July 29, 1890. Application filed April 23, 1889- Serial No. 303,248. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HENRY A. PITCHER, a resident of Neillsville, in the county of Clark and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magazine- Guns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in magazine-guns adapted to be automatically reloaded and cocked at each discharge by utilizing a portion of the explosive gas generated by the combustion of the powder in the gun-barrel; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

This invention is an improvementon the magazine-gun described and claimed in Let ters Patent of the United States No. 397,143, granted to me February 5, 1889.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved automatic magazine-gun. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the reverse side thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved automatic magazine-gun, showing the parts of the same in position at the instant after firing. Fig. 4 is a similar view on a different plane, showing the parts of the same in position after firing. Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, showing the parts of the gun in position locked ready to fire. Fig. 6 IS a top plan view with the top plate of the lock-case removed. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse seetional view taken on the line pg of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken on the line as m of Fig. 3.

Above the barrel B is a magazine-tube, in which is the usual spring-pressed follower. Below the barrel is a tube D, in the rear end of which is secured a cylindrical chamberA, whose rear end communicates with the barrel at a point near the rear end of the latter by a vent E, which is adapted to be closed by a screw-plug or valve F. At one end of the valve is an arm or pointer F which works on an indexed radius F on one side of the lockcase and serves to indicate the position of the valve. 8 I a 0 represents a piston, which operates and 1s fitted in the cylinder A and has an enlarged head II, that works in tube D. A coiled spring M arranged in the tube passes rearward on the piston.

G represents a drive-rod, which is guided in a groove through thelock-case at the lower side of the tube D and has its front end attached rigidly to the piston-head H.

In the sides of the lock-case in rear of the barrel and below the level of the same are openings which are closed by plates at b, which are adapted to be removed when necessary. The plate a on the right-hand side of the lock case has a downwardly-curved longitudinal slot 0, and the plate I) has an opening d at its front end of suitable size and shape for the discharge and ejectment of a cartridge-shell.

The segment I is adapted to travel longitudinally in the lock-case, and has the pivoted tumbler P at some distance from its front end adapted to be engaged by the rear end of the drive-rod G. The pivot-pin P is rigidly secured to the segment and works in an oblique slot 1? in the tumbler, so that the latter is adapted to play obliquely on its pivot as well as to turn thereon.

lVithin the tang at the rear of the lock-case is a recess f, in which operates a radius-lever r. The latter has its lower end pivoted on a pin 3 and has a short arm r, to which is pivoted a stirrup i.

The breech-bolt 7c is arranged in that part of the lock-case immediately in rear of the barrel and has the depending shoulder e, and on opposite sides of the shoulder, in a line with the longitudinal axis of the breech-bolt, are grooves Z m. A tongue at is set in an opening 0 in one side of the lock-case and enters the groove Z, and a similar tongue 1) is set in an opening 2" in the opposite side of the lock-case and enters the groove m. The said tongues and grooves thereby serve as ways to guide the breech-bolt, as will be understood.

On the rear upper corners of theprojecting sides of the shoulder e are formed cams g. In the lower side of the shoulder is j ournaled an anti-friction roller 15, that bears and travels on a horizontally-arranged guide-arm u, the latter being secured at its front end to a shoulder formed in the lock-case by a screw 4). The drive-rod travels under this guide, and the downwardly-curved cam at at the rear end with its upper side bearing under the camarmor and its lower side engaged by the spring h. The stroke of the piston O is such that when the piston moves rearward, for the purpose to be presently described, the drive-rod I Gforces the tumbler P rearward, and the latter is" maintained in its horizontal position until its front end clears the rear end of the cam-arm, when it turns on its pivot and becomes released from thedrive-rod, as shown in Fig. 4. The lower side of the lock-case is concaved at a point slightly in advance of the trigger-guard to form the depression 1?, which permits the tumbler to turn, as before described. On the ensuing forward movement of the segment the tumbler, being cartied with it, has its upper end engaged by the rear end of the cam-arm or, which causes the tumbler to complete a rotation and become disposed under the cam-arm in the position before described, and shown in Fig. 3, with the exception that the end of the tumbler which was formerly foremost is nowrearmost, the tumbler turning or reversing its position at each stroke of the piston O. The oblique "slot P in the tumbler,in which the pivot works, adapts the tumbler to thus reverse its position and to lie snugly under the cam-arm 00 with either end foremost, as parent.

On the inner side of the tongue 10, at the rearendthereof, is formed a cam q, and in the front end of the groove mis located a springpressed extractor-hook w, which is caused to engage the flange of the cartridge-shell in the breech of the barrel when the breech-bolt is at the forward limit of its movement, and is caused to withdraw the said shell from the:

An arm X is formed at the rear end of the said barrel when the bolt moves rearward.

hook, and when the brecchbolt reaches the rearward limit of its movement the said arm engages the cam q, and thereby partly turns the hook on its pivot and causes the same to liberate the shell of the discharged cartridge.

Link-arms 'y have their front ends pivoted in notches formed in the rear side of the depending shoulder e of the breechbolt. The rear ends of the said link-arms have curved faces 2: and are pivoted to links a, the lower sides of which are pivotally connected to the segment I. The links a have curvilinearsurfaced projections formed at right angles -to the pivoted ends, which'when the lock: is closed lie up to and under the septumshoulder 12', against which'the faces of the link-arms yfabut, so that when the segmentI is forced to the rear a rolling motion is imparted to the links a, which at the start has will be .ap--

apowerful fulcrum-leverage upon the linkarms y, and afterward a quicker motion and causes the link-arms y to descend at their rear ends and the faces .2 thereof to be cleared from the abutting septum b of the lock-case, when they are permitted to proceed rearward With the segment I until the breech is sufficiently withdrawn. The function of the said septum b and of the faces 2' of the link-arms is to lock the breech-bolt firmly when at the front limit of its movement and prevent it from being forced backward by the shock of the explosion when the gun is fired.

The firing-pin c is guided in the breechbolt in the usual manner, and has a slot d near its front end, which is engaged by an arm e, that projects from one of the linkarms y, the said arm e serving to retract the firing-pin when the breech-bolt is drawn rearward by the link-arms. pivoted in the lock-case on a pin g, and has its percussion-arm h arranged in the path of the breech-bolt and provided with an antifriction roller R, hence the hammer is an- The hammer T is:

tomatically cooked by the breech-bolt when the latter moves rearward after each discharge.

The hammer-spring is has its rear end secured to the bottom of the lock-case, and the front end of the said spring bears under an anti-friction roller Z journaled in the hammer. The trigger N has rearwardly-extending arms 0, and pivoted on the same pin with the trigger is a curved sear 0', the front end of which is adapted to engage the usual notches pf of the hammer to hold the lat-ter at half and full cock. A spring 8' presses upon the sear 0 at its free end and holds the latter in engagement with the notches in the hammer when not pressed in anopposite direction by the trigger-arm 0. While the segment I is moving either forward or rearward its lower side is in engagement with studs U on the outer sides of the arms 0 of the trigger, and hence the latter is held in position with the hammer locked at full-cock. Near the rear end of the segment, in its lower side, is a recess t, which clears the trigger-arm studs when the breech-bolt and the segment are at the forward limit of their movements, and

hence enable the trigger to be pulled to disengage the sear from the hammer. It will be obvious from the foregoing description that it will be impossible for the gun to be discharged prematurely.

The cartridge-carrier K is composed of three sections CB, 11 and 0 the latter being located between the rear ends of the others. An inclined'opening d is made between the rear ends of the sectionsot b and in communication with an opening in the top plate L of the lock-case, through which acartridge may be inserted into'thc carrier by hand. The section a has a lateral flange fiformed in its upper side near its front end, the lower side of the said section being cutaway, as

shown, and the section Z5 is provided near its' forward end at its upper and lower sides with flanges g 7L respectively. A spring i is arranged under the front end of the section c and bears on the upper side of the breech-bolt and serves to raise the front end of the said section and cause it to abut against the base of a cartridge when the carrier registers with the magazine, and thus the said section 0 constitutes a stop to limit the movement of the cartridge, as will be readily understood. At the rear ends of the sections a b are depending arms in the paths of the cams q. The under side of the section a is provided with a re-entering cam or curve 13 When the breech-bolt moves rearward, the cams q thereof engage the cams k of the sections a 19 and thereby depress the front ends of the same and cause their upper flanges to bear downward on the live cartridge partly enclosed within them, and also the lower flange 71.2 of section b to bear upon the exploded sh ell underneath, which has been drawn from the barrel by the cartridge -hook w, and thereby dislodges the exploded shell from the head of the breech-bolt, so that it may be ejected through the opening d by the forward motion of the breech-bolt. It also assists in retaining by its downward force the live cartridge in position to enter the barrel by the same forward movement of the breech-bolt. The depressed front ends of the sections (W? are held in rear of the magazine in such manner as to prevent the cartridges therein from moving into the lock-case.

The section b somewhat resembles the form of a longitudinal section of tubing, its hollow or inside diameter corresponding in size to the head of the cartridge. WVhen it is tilted downward by the contact of cam (1 against the projection at. its rear end, its lower edge or flange 7&2 forms, together with the tongue, which lies in the longitudinal groove within the side of breech-bolt underneath the section a a guide for the live cartridge in its forward movement into the barrel. At the initial forward movement of the breech-bolt the cams (1 thereof clear the arms k of the sections a 11 and as the breech-bolt moves forward the front upper corners of the shoulders e engage the lower sides of sections 0. b thereby raising the front ends of the said sectionsinto alignment with the magazine, and

- the carrier being thus caused to register with the rear end of the magazine, a cartridge from the latter will be moved rearward into the carrier, in the manner well understood by those skilled in this art, and caused to abut against the front end of the pivoted section 0 A rod m connects the longer arm of the radius-lever to the rear end of the segment I.

The rear end of the drive-rod G works under the guide it and is directed by the latter in its engagement with the tumbler P. A spring h presses up under the said tumblerand causes the latter to slide in contact with the guide. A finger-knob S' has its shank working in municates rearward movement to the segment, which rearward movement is communicated to the breech-bolt by the link-armsy and to the radius-lever r by the rod m The springg, connected to the radius-lever, acts.

as a buffer to deaden the shock and prevent injury to the parts of the lock mechanism. The recoil-spring, together with the rod m serves to throw the breech-bolt and locking devices forward and complete the operation of loading the gun.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the lock mechanism is operated automatically at each discharge of the gun and caused to eject the empty shell, reload, and cook the hammer, and therefore after each discharge it is only necessary to press the trigger to cause the gun to be again fired, and this may be kept up until the magazine has been emptied.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 3, 4, and 5 that the upper and lower sides of the curved portion of the lock-case and the lower side of the segment are drawn from the same center, and therefore are concentric. This construction is highly advantageous for the reason that it adapts the curved segment to move back and forth in the curved portion of the lock-case with the smallest possible degree of friction, thereby increasing the efficiency of the gun and rendering it easy to operate the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an automatic gun, the combination of the segment I, pivotally connected to the lock thereby operating the latter, and the arm projecting from the linkarm and engaging the firing-pin to retract the latter, substantially as described.

jecting from the link-arm and engaging the slot of the firing-pin to retract the latter, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in an automatic gun, of the longitudinally-traveling segment, and devices, substantially as set forth, for operating the same, the pivoted'trigger having the rear 1 wardly-extending arm in the path of the segment, the latter having the recess nearits rear end adapted to clear the said arm, and the frame in which the trigger is mounted, having the recess in which the arm may be pressed by the segment in its rearward movement, substantially as described.

' 5. The pivoted cartridge-carrier, comprising the central section 0 and the side sections a N, each having the cams, substantially as specified, in combination with the longitudinally-movable breech-bolt arranged under the said sections and having the cams to engage the cams on thesections and operate the latter, substantially as described. 7

6. The curved lock-case having the upper and lower sides concentric, the curved segment concentric with the lower side 'of the lock-case and adapted tomove forward and backward therein, devices, substantially as specified, to operatethe segment, and the lock mechanism connected to the said segment, substantially as described.

'7. Thelock-casehavingthecamqinitsinner side, in combination with the breech-bolt and the spring-pressed extractor-hook pivoted in a recess in one side of the breech-bolt at the front end thereof, the said extractor-hook having a rearWardly-e-Xtending arm provided with'a cam X,"arranged in the path'of the cam q, substantially as described.

8. In an automatic n1agazine-gun, the plug F, adapted to open and cut off communication from the bore of the cylinder to the bore of the barrel, and having the arm or pointer attached to the plug and located on the outside of the lock-case, in combination with the indexed radius on the outside of said lock-case, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. PITCHER.

Witnesses:

' R. H. TOLFORD,

J. F. SCHUST-ER." 

